Adalo vs Retool
Adalo and Retool are both no-code & low-code tools. Adalo is aimed at freelancers and small businesses, while Retool is aimed at developers and enterprise. Retool costs less, from $12/mo versus $36/mo for Adalo. Both have a free plan.
| Pricing | Freemium · $36 | Freemium · $12 |
| Starting price | $36/mo | $12/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Freelancers, Small businesses | Developers, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Country | US · 2018 | US · 2017 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Adalo if
Non-technical founders building simple mobile apps.
- Beginner-friendly
- Direct app store publishing
- Templates
Look elsewhere if: Complex or high-scale apps.
Choose Retool if
Engineering and operations teams at startups and enterprises who need internal tools fast.
- Fastest way to build internal tools
- Rich component library and connectors
- Free for 5 users
Look elsewhere if: Customer-facing apps or non-technical builders without SQL/JS basics.
Adalo vs Retool pricing
Adalo
- Free$01 editor, 500 records per app, unlimited test apps
- Starter$36/moBilled annually; 1 published app, 1 editor, 5GB
- Professional$52/moBilled annually; 2 published apps, 5 editors, 25GB
- Team$160/moBilled annually; 5 published apps, 10 editors, 125GB
Retool
- Free$0Up to 5 users, 500 workflow runs/mo
- Team$12/builder/mo$10 billed annually; internal users $7 ($5); 5,000 runs/mo
- Business$65/builder/mo$50 billed annually; internal users $18 ($15); audit logs
- EnterpriseCustomSSO, SCIM, Git, up to 6 instances
Adalo · Key features
- Drag-and-drop app builder
- Built-in database
- External collections (Airtable, Xano)
- Publish to app stores
- Marketplace components
- Custom actions
Cons
- Performance limits
- Less flexible logic
- Scaling challenges
Retool · Key features
- 100+ components with drag-and-drop layout
- Native connectors to databases and APIs; SQL and JS everywhere
- Retool Workflows for automation and cron
- Retool Mobile for native internal apps
- AI components and Retool Agents
- Permissions, audit logs, source control and self-hosting (Enterprise)
Cons
- Per-user pricing adds up for large orgs
- Complex apps hit the limits of the model
- JavaScript knowledge needed for real logic
Adalo vs Retool: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Adalo or Retool?
Retool starts at $12/mo and Adalo at $36/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Adalo and Retool have a free plan?
Yes, both Adalo and Retool have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Adalo or Retool?
Adalo lists small businesses as a core audience, while Retool is aimed more at developers and enterprise.